“You villain!” exclaimed Von Gaden, angrily. “Could you not watch an assassin closer?”
The poor man faltered a thousand excuses, overwhelmed with his own culpability. Lykof did not understand German, but when the situation was explained to him, he laughed.
“There is no longer any need to discuss the wisdom of retaining this prisoner,” he said.
Von Gaden questioned his servant, and found that the man’s suspicion had been aroused by a sudden cessation of all sound in the temporary prison where Polotsky had been confined; and examining the place through the keyhole, he had felt the fresh air, and immediately unbolting the door, found that, in some ingenious way, the prisoner had unfastened the window and leaped into the street. He went outside at once, but found no trace of the fugitive. Von Gaden was not only annoyed, but mortified at what he deemed his own carelessness; but Lykof tried to set his mind at rest, evidently regarding the escape as a joke at the expense of the Jew, and he remarked that it would not be difficult to discover the fugitive, as he was certain to return to Ramodanofsky’s house. I observed that Lykof seemed rather to relish the idea of going there in search of him. Von Gaden, on the contrary, liked the prospect less and less, and blamed himself not a little for the easy escape of the captive.
“I will not trust to such securities again,” he muttered; “if I had taken him to my laboratory, I could have kept him fast enough!”
CHAPTER IX.
SOPHIA ALEXEIEVNA.
While we were still conversing, there was a noise in the hall, and I heard a familiar voice. In a moment, the doctor’s man told me that my attendant wished to speak with me. I found Pierrot by the outer door, looking much disturbed and not a little important,—his way when employed on confidential business. I was annoyed at him for following me to Von Gaden’s house.
“What brings you here?” I asked, a trifle sharply.
“A message from the Kremlin, M. le Vicomte,” he said at once, in a low tone. “The messenger is waiting at your apartments now.”
Going through my private papers, I thought immediately, knowing Russian methods.